Formed Addiction
by Goddess247
Summary: Sequel to Basic Instincts. It's been almost a year and everything seemed to be just fine...until there's a threat for the mutants. Oh, and the cure seems to be not so permanent... PyroOC, LoganRogue, WarrenOC
1. Back to Bedlam

Formed Addiction

Chapter 1 – Back to Bedlam

Eleven months, one week and four days… They've almost made it a year without any trouble surfacing. Almost…

Summer flipped her cell phone close and looked down from the third floor of a regular apartment building in west Sydney. She saw the black BMW come to a stop in front of it and John coming out a minuet later.

The girl tugged her waist-length dark hair into a messy bun and positioned herself on the arm of the big comfy chair. Only seconds later the keys could be heard in the door lock and John entered the picture next moment:

"Sum, I'm home."

"Hey," She said, taking out a cigarette from the purse on her knees.

"What's wrong?" Pyro sensed her mood at once while she was lighting the rolled stick of poison. Her smoking was indication of something being not right.

"Storm just called." The brunette took a drag of the cigarette, holding it between the two fingers, then released a gray smoke.

"What did she say?" John enquired, coming closer and taking a sit in the armchair, her by his side.

Summer looked out of the window for a long moment. How do you tell your pyromaniac boyfriend that his old boss got his powers back? Unfortunately, the young woman didn't know the answer to that question but she knew there shouldn't be any lies between them. Major lies. Once again she felt burning sensation spread through her lungs with another long drag.

"The cure didn't work. Mutants' powers are coming back." She said finally.

John looked up then sighed. He took the cigarette from his girlfriend's hand and put it to his own lips.

"You don't smoke." She announced, slowly sliding on his lap.

"Neither do you." He answered, fogged air coming out of his mouth.

Both of them knew that their life wouldn't be the same after the fateful phone call but desperately wanted to pretend it would. Maybe everyone would just forget about them? Live them alone for good?

"Why did you give her the number anyway?" John asked sarcastically.

Summer chuckled, cloud of smoke in front of her eyes. He put one hand around her waist and another on her knee as he threw away the cigarette.

"What are we gonna do?" She asked what was on his mind, putting her head to rest on his shoulder.

"I don't know." That was true. He didn't know how that was going to affect their life or is it going to at all. John planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. "We'll think of something. Right?"

And she did shake her head 'yes'. But did she believe it?

This moment on the other side of the world, in the USA, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, soft cries could be heard from one of the rooms. Logan, Anna and Storm were standing at the door, Storm knocking on it gently time after time.

"Rogue?" She tried.

"Marie, please, open the door…" Logan said, his voice filled with concern.

No answer.

"Rogue, honey, listen to us. Open that door." Anna asked gently.

There was no answer yet again.

"I'll get rid of the door." Wolverine roared, determination piercing the air.

"No!" Ororo and Storm cried in unison.

"You want her out of there not jumping out of the window for her life." The blonde stated, Storm nodding in agreement.

"Ok, so what do you want me to do? It's not your girlfriend who's sitting all alone in the locked up room, freaking out!" He growled and stormed down the hall, hitting a wall in the process.

"God…he's not taking it well…" Anna sighed.

"What else was there to expect? But he has to understand that it's she he should be worry about, he feelings and emotions…"

"But there's a bigger problem on a horizon right now…" The younger woman looked at the African beauty.

"Magneto." They both nodded and sending a last glance at the wooden door started in the direction of the office.

Inside the room decorated in a southern style near the two-poster bed on the floor a young woman was sitting, her hands hugging her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

Her whole world was crushing down in only couple minuets of an ordinary morning. Morning that seemed to be just like every other…

Rogue slowly stood up, tears falling freely from her eyes, and made her way to the wardrobe. Reluctantly she opened the first drawer but her shoulders kept shaking. Marie looked out of the window for a second like to make sure that everything was ok at least on the outside, then, putting the highlights of her hair behind her ears, took out a pair of silky gloves…

"I'm delighted you decided to rejoin me." Magneto looked up from the game of chess he was playing with himself, something he was doing occasionally those days.

"Me too. Why not?" A dark-haired man in his late twenties – early thirties with sapphire eyes looked at master of magnetism with a smirk pasted on his handsome face.

"Well, I think there are couple things we have to do at first."

"And what is that?"

"I want you to find someone, James." And the King of Black stepped further itself.

"I can guess. One and only Flame Boy?" He smirked.

"Exactly, Mr. Maddox, exactly." Eric nodded.

The sun was setting down but it only made the magnificent building of the Sydney Opera even more beautiful. It almost looked stunning (despite the fact that it was far from John and Summer's apartment) with the sky painted red ahead of it.

Summer stared at the glorious construction with admiration in her eyes. It was there for such a long time and it will stand there when they are gone…

John was lying on the bed, hands behind his head, he heard Summer open the window in the next room. This made his train of thoughts stop for a quick second. What if Magneto was already looking for him? Was he ready to trade what he had in Australia for something he wasn't even sure he wanted anymore.

When he turned the head to see what was going outside he saw it was already dark. A second later Summer showed up in the room. She didn't say anything, just came up to the bed and next moment she was lying on John's chest. He put his hands around her slender form. They didn't have sex that night. They were just comfortable in each other's embrace. Unfortunately, it was too fragile…too fragile…


	2. Reality Check

Formed Addiction

Chapter 2 – Reality Check

"He's not going to enter this building." Wolverine stated as he positioned himself in the chair with his legs on the table.

Silence hang in the air.

"Fine." Summer said and looked at him and Storm who was standing near the window. "Then neither am I."

"Sum! Sum, stop it, of course, you and John can stay." Ororo practically ran up to her and took by the arm.

"Summer, come on, kid. You know this school is your home but this is no place for Pyro! He fought against us, you in Alcatraz!" Logan roared from his place.

"You listen to me!" Summer turned, her face angry and annoyed. "Look at yourself first. You call my boyfriend a traitor but what do you really see when you look in the mirror?"

Now the tension could be cut by a knife. Logan wanted to say something back but it seemed like there was something caught in his throat. Summer turned to the white-haired woman and said, her shoulders finally falling in a way of relaxation:

"We'll be in 'Four Seasons', Ro."

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow, hon. Glad you're back." She kissed her friend's cheek.

"Can't say the same." And she disappeared behind the door.

"You couldn't help yourself, could you?" Storm scowled at the man behind the table.

"It didn't go well?" But it wasn't much of a question.

Summer just coughed.

"That bad?" John, who was standing his back to the car they've rented at the US airport when they arrived this morning.

"Worse…" She got in the car.

"Wolverine?" Pyro followed her.

"How did you guess?" She asked sarcastically.

As another vase, sent by a very aimed arm, hit the wall right next to Eric Lancherr's head.

"Mystique!"

"Do not call me that!" She hissed in return. "My name is Raven!"

But her skin was dark-blue once again, hair turned red like poison, eyes yellow-green, somewhat catlike. In a way more then one she was Mystique.

"You are wrong, my dear…" Magneto's calm voice said when the blue woman reached for another part of the interior to send it to gray-haired man's head. "Multiple!"

That same second a copy of James Maddox was holding the slick woman around her waist while the other James was standing ext to Eric, smirking. Mystique stopped but no because she really couldn't get away from Maddox's hold but because a part of her heart still needed…wanted to hear what Eric had to say.

"Good girl." He started.

"Good girl." She mocked him, shifting into him for a split second.

"Did you get it?" Logan asked when Kitty phased through the back door the car where Bobby was waiting for her.

"Don't I ever?" The girl handed him a file and put her shoulder-length reddish brown hair in a messy ponytail.

"Right, kid." Wolverine hissed more to himself then anyone else in the car.

"Hey…" Iceman tried to catch Kitty's attention.

"Oh, hi, honey." She gave him a usual pack on the cheek that definitely didn't have a heart in it.

"K…" And although Bobby tried to look convinced his insides were ripping from apart. Their relationships have been on edge ever for the last couple months. He himself didn't know the reason and hoped that didn't either…

"So, what is it there?" The only woman in the car inquired.

"Damn…" Logan sighed as an answer but answered her question when he was standing in front of the X-Men team that later that evening. "Do you remember the cure?"

After the series of nods and a sarcastic "who doesn't?" from Warren he went on:

"So this new substance that was discovered in the labs Kitty's been to today also blocks the X gene but a bit differentially."

"How do you mean?" Storm cut in.

"It's directed to the aim of the holder."

"Stop circling around the bush, for God's sake!" Summer snapped.

"Yeah." Anna agreed, playing with a loose strand of hair. "Define that, please."

"Basically, when the substance is injected in mutant's body it does block the gene…poisoning it."

Dreadful silence hung in the air. Warren and Anna at the window, Summer with her legs on the chair, Storm on that same chair's arm, Bobby and Kitty in different corners of a rather big couch, and Wolverine in the middle of the office with the file in his right hand.

"So…" Storm cleared her throat. "This means that this thing was created to kill mutants?"

"Exactly." The feral-man nodded.

"By who?" Iceman cut in.

"We don't know. It's not the government. If you ask me, mutant opposition."

"You're right. But, as strange as it may sound, it's not the biggest problem at hand…" Summer was met by questioning looks. "This a sign for Magneto to act again."

"Magneto?" Kitty sat up straight, looking somewhat confused. "But we haven't heard of him in at least half a year…even more."

"Well, the powers of those who were cured are back and this time he's not gonna stop, trust me."

"Why are you so sure?" Anna asked and took a hold of Angel's hand.

"Her precious boyfriend must have gotten a call from his boss…" Logan roared which caused Summer to snap her head in his direction:

"One more word and I go out of this door and never come back and you know that although I don't have the amount of power I used to you won't be able to handle it without me." Her voice was a dangerous whisper as she glared at Wolverine.

"Let's stop it right there." Ororo patted young woman's shoulder.

"What is he talking about? What boyfriend?" Warren asked, curious.

"Pyro." Wolverine snapped quietly.

A chores of "what's" and "how's" could be heard around the small office. Bobby and Kitty got especially restless.

"That's enough!" Storm wasn't the one to shout but as she said it the bolt of lightning struck outside as if to make her point. "It's already past midnight so let's just everyone go get some rest and tomorrow we can discuss it all once again, detailed."

Warren and Kitty were the first to leave the room followed closely by Logan and Storm, leaving Summer, Bobby and Anna alone.

"You are with John?" Iceman looked up at the brunette. "But I thought…"

"I don't want to talk about this." She stated.

Bobby nodded but there was clear determination in his eyes. That subject wasn't closed.

"Should have told me…" Anna said as the man disappeared.

"I know…" Summer smiled sadly. "I know…"

"What the hell are you thinking?" Ororo demanded as she ran behind Logan through the first floor's halls of the mansion. "Haven't I asked you to be easy on her?"

He didn't answer anything, just kept walking.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" The white-haired woman hollered.

As she was near the front door the bell rang.

"I'll get that but we're not done yet!"

"Who can it be at a time like this?" Wolverine turned to look as well.

Storm opened the door and froze, the expression of pure shock written on her face.

"What?" Logan asked, coming closer to see a dark-haired man in his mid-thirties about his high dressed in a black pair of jeans, dark T-shirt and a black leather jacket.

"Long time no see, Ro." The man said, his emerald eyes piercing Storms.

Logan was beginning to lose passions:

"Susie, who is this guy?"

"Derek Windom." The man on the doorsteps starched a hand for a handshake. "Her husband."

Logan's mouth formed a perfect 'o'.


	3. Secrets of the Night

Formed Addiction

Chapter 3 – Secrets of the Night

"Excuse me?" When the bone in Wolverine's throat finally felt like disappear he tried to speak. "Come again."

"Derek, Ororo's husband." The man said again.

"Ex! Ex-husband!" Storm snapped out of her trance. "In a world's name, what are you doing here?"

"Won't you invite me in?" Derek asked, his lips curving in a small sly smirk.

"Is this the wrong time?" The three of them heard a husky voice from behind and the next moment John showed up from the shadows.

"Always for you." Growled Logan, attempting to close the door.

"So?" The other man at the door asked, still searching for Ororo's eyes in the darkness of the night. It would have been so much easier if they were white like at those times when she gets control over the weather.

"Ok, that's it! John, Summer will come out in a minute, you can wait inside if you want. Logan, touch him and life will get really cold for you. Derek, follow me…we need to talk." Storm turned on her heels and made her way up the stairs, Derek fallowing closely behind.

Wolverine glared at Pyro and let one of the claws on the left arm slide from the inside of his body.

"Arm…tell Summer I'll be in the car." John wasn't afraid of the feral-man, he just didn't wish for any trouble. He knew the girl he was waiting for wouldn't appreciate it if he and Logan started a fight right then and there.

On the second floor, near the room that used to be Professor's and now was Storm's office, Anna and Summer stood, both their backs to the opposite walls for support. Summer clung her fingers together, a feeling of guilt sliced through her. She and Anna were best friends, she still considered the petite blond her best mate but so much has happened. They haven't talked for almost a year…she didn't tell her about their relationships with John, that he was alive for that matter…that she now lived in Australia, thousands miles away… But what Anna said next erased any seed of doubt that was born in her head.

"I was worried about you, you know. You didn't even leave you phone number." Summer was just about to answer but Anna went on. "But then I remembered that it's some kind of a habit of yours to disappear and then show up in some time. Although, I have to say, this time it took you long enough."

"So we're cool?" The brunette looked up from the floor.

"Yeah." Her friend smiled warmly. "Of course, we are."

She crossed the hall and tightly hugged the telepathic.

"Are you ok?" Anna took a step back, her features expressing concern and confusion.

"What do you mean?" Summer inquired.

"Your energy…it just seems different…"

"Different?" Now Summer was confused too. "Different how?"

"Well, I've done some work on my powers. You know, to get a full control of them and things like that. So, there's more to them then I thought. I can also feel the status of the body's energy and…hard to explain…see it, like the color. Everyone has it' own specific color for their energy…"

"Well, that's great! Congratulations are in order, I guess."

"Yeah, but the thing is…your energy level has changed a great deal. And the color as well." From the look on Summer's face Anna realized she had to be a bit clearer. "Basically, you've changed mentally as much as physically."

Summer's blue eyes became water. They've lost any emotion they held before. What could she reply to a statement like that? Who was she supposed to react? Turning her head slightly as if hearing something, she said:

"John's here. Don't want to make him wait. Or, to tell the truth, don't want an encounter between him and Wolverine."

"Sure, see you tomorrow." Anna smiled, a cheerless smile.

The brunette nodded and, without looking back at her friend who stayed on the same spot, looking perplexed, made her way down the stairs only to run into Storm and a familiar-looking man with bright lime-green eyes. She nodded to Ororo but the older woman didn't seem to notice too caught up in her own troubling thoughts.

"What the hell do you want from me? Why are you here?" Ororo said angrily as soon as the door closed behind Derek.

"To be honest, O, I just want my money back. You see, I'm broke. So, can you, please, give me back those seven million dollars you took, anxiously running away from our house." The man sneered, positioning himself in the chair and putting his legs on the table in front of him.

Storm turned pale for an extremely brief moment and it started getting cloudy outside that instant.

The dark metallic cell that was still for the previous part of the night started producing high-pitched sounds. If not for vibrations the whole mansion could be awake by now.

"Talk." Calm quiet voice with southern accent spoke.

"We need to meet. It's important." The voice on the other end of the line was harsh, some would even call it computer-like.

"When?"

"Lunchtime."

"Where?"

"Riverside Park, we need a place no one will ever think to search through."

"Ok." She was thinking of clicking the phone close but then decided to ask the question that was bothering her the most. "You're back?"

"Yes." The hiss that was presumed a whisper by the southern speaker. "And make sure no one fallows you."

The line went still and Rogue put the smart piece of metal back on the bedside table, hand covered in a dark-brown glove. When the young woman's gaze reached her hands she tore it away immediately. She had a plan and she would stick to it…

John was sitting quietly in their hotel room, sometimes stealing a glance or two at the weather outside the window. It was about to rain…the sky was dark so Pyro he figured so…

Summer was doing the same thing but her spot was near the bathroom door. As the memories of the last year came flying into her head in comparison to everything that was happening now, she took a couple steps forward to where John was sitting.

"Have a…" She started and he turned to look at her. "Have I told you that I loved you today?"

Suddenly her eyes filled with tears and, betrayed by her knees, she slid down on the floor. John rushed to her side. He sensed that something like that was about to happen. He knew it wasn't only about her claiming her love for him, it was all the emotions…

He cupped her face with both hands and, caressing her soft flawless cheek with his thumb, touched his lips gently to hers. Summer trembled from his touch, from tenderness and intense of this simple motion. That was his answer. He loved her too. Every day, every minute, every second…

What a shame this all could just fade away…their hopes for one more year of peace could just fade away…


	4. Riverside Park

Formed Addiction

Chapter 4 – Riverside Park

"Yeah." Summer answered the cell phone, trying to open her eyes and catch the focus.

"Sum, it's me." Storm's anxious voice could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Ro, it's five thirty in the morning. I thought we'd meet later today…" Brunette tried to speak quietly not to disturb John's sleeping form next to her on a king-sized bed.

"Listen, I have to talk to you. No one else should know about it." At this Summer took a sitting position.

"Why?"

"It's not a phone talk. Meet me around one today in the Riverside Park. If you agree just say 'yes'."

"Yes." Next second the line went dead.

"Hmm…" There was stirring at her left and John's faint voice was heard. "Who was it?"

"No one. Wrong number." Summer felt herself being pulled back to lay her head on the muscular chest. She didn't object. Things were about to change…and she wanted to capture every moment of their almost ordinary life.

John kissed young girl's head gently. Then turned his head to see the first rays of sun behind the window. A new day has come. And something was telling Pyro that this day wouldn't bring any happy news to him. On the contrary…

"We need to talk." Bobby's voice sliced through the silence of the room.

"Do we have to do it right now?" The other voice, annoyed, shoot back.

"Yes, dammit! Kitty, what's wrong with us?" Iceman yelled but the young woman just kept shadowing her eyes, looking at the mirror.

"Could you, please, stop yelling." She said, getting pissed off, but her face still.

"What? Talk to me!" Stepping up closer, Bobby touched his hand to a reflecting glass and a second later it was covered with a thick shell of ice.

Kitty turned, her face focused.

"Unfreeze it." She said calmly but determinly.

Bobby looked at her, hurt and confused.

"Unfreeze it, Bobby." She repeated, her eyes firmly fixed on his.

"What are you doing? With us?"

"One more question and I take this mascara and leave it in your lungs." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then, when I'm done with my make-up, I'll take it out but, trust me, it will leave a lot of scars inside."

Iceman's eyes went wide. This was not the woman he fell in love with. That was someone else…

"I'm almost done, honey." A perfect smile back on her face as she turned to a fresh mirror, a fake smile…

"Excuse me, do you know what time it is?"

Rogue turned her face from the ground and stopped the pacing.

"Miss, sorry? Do you know the time?" A man, around twenty-five – thirty, with a backpack and a map in his hand, definitely a tourist.

"Oh, yes." She looked at the gloved hand with a watch. "It's almost one."

"Thanks."

As soon as the man passed by a small red-haired woman in her early thirties bumped into her.

"Sorry." The younger woman muttered, her eyes still searching through the park.

"Smile at me and we keep moving as if we're a long-time friends." The woman's green cat-like eyes glittered.

Rogue did as she was told and the pair started strolling.

"Look nice. Wouldn't recognize you…"

"Would you ever?" The woman answered. "A point to shape-shifters."

"You…"

"I hate this small talk. We both know why we're here…"

Rogue nodded her head 'yes'.

"I have the cure. What do you have for me?"

Marie's eyes were somewhere far as she spoke:

"Whatever you want, Mystique, whatever you want."

"Ok, can you tell me why all those secrets?" Summer asked as she and Ororo were walking through the park full of trees of different types, flowers, butterflies flying around, birds…perfect picture in all the ways.

"Well, it's something important for me…Derek's here." Storm responded.

"Derek? I remember this name…"

"My ex-husband."

"Oh…" Summer's eyes lighten up in realization. "Yesterday…this man with you…it was him?"

After Ororo's short nod, the younger woman went on:

"That's why I thought I've seen him somewhere." In response she received a confused look. "The picture in the photo album."

"Right…but there's something else."

"Ok, you start to scare me. What is it?" Summer stopped.

"Ok." Storm sighed. "I need money."

"Why?"

"When I left Derek I took his money with me. But he was really wealthy and it didn't even bother him at that time…"

"Was?" The brunette asked, putting a hand on her head.

The weather witch nodded:

"He's broke. And he wants his money back…Are you ok?"

"Fine…" But she was still holding her head. "Just a little headache…And what now? I mean, how much?"

"Seven." She answered after a slight hesitation.

"Seven…what?" But Summer's azure eyes went wide.

"Million." Storm's chocolate orbs stared in the ones of her friend's. "Please, say something."

"Well…hmm…" The two women started walking again, light wind caressing their hair. "That's…that's a lot of money. What do you want from me?"

"You…you have that trust fond from your dad. Land me these money, I'll pay everything back."

"I would, Ro. Honestly. But I don't have them. Mum bought an estate when she was alive. Never actually been there, it's somewhere in Ireland…Everything that left in the fund is a million, two max."

"Damn…" The white-haired woman mumbled apprehensively, then her gaze focused on something far away but the expression on her face changed to the one of bewilderment. "Is that Rogue?"

Sadly, it was…

However Summer never heard her friend…her eyes shut closed and her body went numb…she was falling…

Falling in the welcoming arms of unconsciousness…


	5. Troubled

Formed Addiction

Chapter 5 – Troubled

"What's up, buddy?" Turning to face the person who's just greeted him, John saw a man with a face shadowed with a Von Dutch hat.

"I ain't your buddy, man." He chuckled.

"I'm afraid you are." When the stranger looked up, Pyro recognized him as his former Brotherhood fellow, the Multiple Man.

"Who knew…Maddox." Another chuckle.

"Yep, hey there, Pyro." The other man smirked in reply. "Ol'man wants to have a little chat with you."

"Sorry, can't help you there." John responded, taking out the lighter.

"Sure, you can. You just have to listen because, trust me, you're gonner like what you hear." James smirked again, his deep blue eyes glazing.

John looked at his watch. Then at the sky, it was peaceful, no clouds, nothing to disturb the stillness of it. Almost like the one he and Summer liked to watch in Australia yet something very different. He glanced at the other mutant once again, still uncertain of his decision. Maddox was always hard to read but a little betraying voice pushed him to follow Multiple along the streets of a big city. Definitely not Summer's voice…

"What's wrong?" Wolverine cried as Storm yelled for him to come help her in the garage area.

"I don't know! One minute we were having a walk, talking, and next she just fell." Ororo started and opened the back door of the car for Logan to see unconscious Summer, pale as dead.

The feral-man took her up in his hands, one under her knees and the other on her back. While heading to the labs, the two key-mates of the X team saw students' worried eyes and heard law whispers.

"Peter!" Storm called, running behind Logan. "Call Hank."

The Steel-man nodded and quickly made his way out of the room to get Beast.

"What's going on?" Anna asked, confused, having just entered through the magnificent wooden doors.

"Professor Logan has just rushed in, caring a young woman. She was so pale, unmoving…it scared." A girl of about thirteen with flaming red hair whispered.

"What woman?" The blonde asked, eyebrows raised.

"She looked around twenty or something." A boy who was standing next to them cut in. "I've seen her here last year."

"Summer…" Without a second thought Anna took off through the door Logan, Ororo and unconscious Summer disappeared behind.

"Ok, everyone, please, go back to your own business." Peter roared with his thick Russian accent, showing Hank to the labs.

"What happened?" Yet again Storm had to describe in all the details, except for their conversation and the fact that they've seen Rogue in the park, what happened, answering Beast's question.

"Ok." The blue fuzzy man concluded. "I want you all out of this room. I need silence."

Ororo, Peter and Logan obeyed and after a split second were out of the med lab. Storm turned to get back to the first level of the Institute but spinned around when Wolverine grabbed her arm:

"Call…" He started and it was obvious that those words weren't easy for him to say. "Call Pyro."

The weather witch nodded, slightly shocked with her friend's statement. She was going to do it but from Logan's mouth the words were pretty unexpected.

"Well?"

"Usually it's me who says it." The gray-haired man chortled but Pyro kept glaring at him with the uneasy gaze of his. "I stick around the bush. Humans, mutants opposition to be exact, want to kill mutants."

"Right…" John nodded, the corners of his lips curled in a slight smirk. "Where I've heard that before?"

"Pyro, it _is_ true. Look at this if you don't trust me…" Magneto cast James a glance that that indicated that they needed the file, which he was holding.

John didn't make any move to get the papers in the yellow ones.

"Read it, man." Maddox encouraged.

After a minor hesitation he picked the information and started studying it when the beeping sound was heard from the pocket of his faded jeans.

"Yeah…" He answered not bothering to see who that was. "What!...How is she?...I'm on my way."

John flipped the phone close and turned to face the two other men in the room:

"I have to go."

"I understand." Master of magnetism nodded. "But take this with you."

John hurriedly grabbed the papers and shoved them in the back pocket.

"And, Pyro…" Magneto called for the younger man when he reached the door. "Don't show this to Summer."

In less then a second John was gone. But when he disappeared the other figure stepped out of the shadows to take over his place.

"You should go back now." Eric spoke softly. "They might notice you're gone."

"Nuh." The young woman shook her head. "They are too busy right now."

"Still…"

Kitty shrugged and calmly made her way out.

Marie D'Ancanto, known as Rogue to almost everyone, took out four small syringes from a faded gray purse of hers and put them on the table in front of the bed she was sitting on.

All her life, her life as a mutant, she tried to get rid of her powers. First to muster them, then to cure herself from them. For some power is a gift, for her it was a curse. And she intended to resume living without it once again…

That was exact thoughts of a young woman who took the cure yet again…

"Where is she?" John roared, slicing through the crowd of students.

"John!" Ororo called from the other end of the room, waving her hand slightly for the young man to notice where she was.

"Storm." He greeted, his eyes nothing more then two pools concern. "Where is she?"

"Come with me." The white-haired women stepped through the door, Pyro closely on her heels. "She's unconscious. Hank is examining her."

"The fuzz-ball?" He asked nervously but surprisingly enough those weren't the words of disgust.

"Labs, John." Storm said but the corners of her lips went up to form a slight shadow of a smile.

"Hmmm…" Summer opened her eyes a split second but then closed them again to try and adjust to a bright light she recognized to be the one of the med lab's.

"Summer, do you hear me?" The voice was familiar but was heard somewhere from afar. "Summer?"

"I hear you well, Hank." She answered, her voice trembling a bit.

"Wonderful. You're back with us." The beast said, voice kind and gentle as much as possible.

"What happened?" The brunette inquired.

"You fell." Hank explained, going through some papers, concerning Summer's health.

"Thanks, Colombo. I kinda know that." Hank chuckled. "What I meant is what's wrong with me?"

"Wrong? Nothing, really." The big blue mutant sat on the young woman's bed and looked her straight in the eye. "I'd say you're remarkably healthy for a pregnant woman."

Summer's eyes widened and her jaw fell…

A minute after John's worried face showed up in the doorway.


	6. Diablo, part 1

Formed Addiction

Chapter 6 – Diablo, part 1

"Sum!" John hurried to his lover's bed and for a second she started fearing that maybe he's heard what Beast was telling her when he entered. "How do you feel? You alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." She comforted him, touching the side of his face. "I'm ok."

"What's wrong with?" He turned to Beast sharply.

"Summer is…" But then the doctor's gaze fell on the girl's big eyes. "She…she had a sun heat. Nothing serious but it'd be good if she stayed here for another couple hours until she gains her strength."

"Ok." Pyro nodded, turning this attention back to Summer.

"And John, could you leave us for some more time. I need to run one more test." Hank coughed.

The younger man didn't say anything. He only nodded, squeezed Summer's hand and headed for the exit.

Wolverine was pacing impatiently in front of Rogue and his room yet again. He wanted to go in desperately but something was holding him back. And when finally took a grab of a doorknob, it suddenly turned itself the door flew open to reveal a southern beauty.

"Marie, I…" Logan started but was immediately cut of by her lips on his.

At first the Feral-man was standing stunned, without any idea what his girlfriend was doing. But all of a sudden it clicked that the kiss wasn't draining neither his powers nor his life energy away…

"What…?" He tried, astonished.

She answered with, "I love you."

"But how?" Solicited Wolverine.

"Does it really matter?" Rogue put her hands on his chest, beaming at him. "We can be together and that's the most important, isn't it?"

"Of course!" Logan assured her but took her hands of his body to make her focus. "But it's impossible. If your powers are back, how come you touch me?"

Marie looked at him with mixed expression in her tired, still red, eyes. She looked so ready to tell the truth, so willing, but something faded in those orbs and there was no sound produced from her thin swollen lips.

"You seem troubled." John heard whisper from his right and turned to see a creature that reminded him of Mystique but looked a bit more human-like (only a bit), thought it's skin was dark-blue and the pupils of the eyes seemed white like a fog.

"Who the hell are you?" Pyro asked the strange man.

"They call me Seer." He whispered in return.

"I believe, you're gonner tell me why…"

"I can see glimpse of future." The Seer explained, making his way closer to the pyromaniac in an odd way, one leg faster then the other one, making his slick thin body half-turning.

"Sure, Fog-Eye." John rolled his eyes. "Tell me then, what you see in my future?"

The mutant came even closer to the other, his eyes shadowed with even more whitish fog:

"What? See nothing?" Pyro smirked.

The Seer stood silent for another short period of time and then stated in a harsh whisper:

"Wait for rain in summer…"

John turned to face him again, dumbfounded:

"What did you just say?"

"I can't see what is bound to happen." The slick mutant clarified. "I only make out signs…clouded visions…"

"Rain in summer…" The other man mumbled to himself, confused and mystified.

His puzzled expression didn't even come off when he heard the door behind them open:

"John, my boy, she's all yours."

Pyro nodded again and entered the lab, throwing a quiet "thanks" in Beast's direction.

"Seer?" Hall with the two blue men in it remained silent until one of them finally decided to speak:

"I was just hoping, Dr. McCoy, that you could give me something from a headache."

"Sure…" The haired one nodded. "Follow me."

"Hey." Bobby looked up from his cup upon hearing another male's voice.

"Hey."

"Is there anything cool 'round here?"

"Yeah, yeah, in the cupboard on your left." Iceman waved. "I don't think we've met…"

"Derek Windom." He extended a hand.

"Bobby Drake." The men shook hands. "Or Iceman."

"You study here?" Derek asked in search of something to drink.

"Used to." The younger man muttered. "You're new here?"

"Oh, I'm not a mutant." That caught Bobby's attention. "I'm here for my wife."

"Whom exactly?"

"Ororo." Derek got back to the counter with a Dr. Paper in his hand.

"I had no idea she's married…" Bobby mumbled, questions rising in his mind.

"Yeah…" The other man nodded. "Crap, it's warm…"

Iceman took a hold of the bottle and it froze up that instant:

"Thanks, man. Yeah, 'bout Ro, we were on a break…"

"On a break? Wasn't it her idea?"

"You can say that." The man with emerald eyes took a sip of cold drink while Bobby chortled. "Why? Problems with your chica?"

"You can say that." The mutant used the human's phrase to answer. "We, Kitty and I, just got estranged….no huge fights, no yelling…just a void that formed between us…"

"I'm bad with advising, pal, but I'm a good listener if you need to talk it out."

And Bobby did talk. He told the man on the other side of the counter, like to a priest on the other side of a confession room's wall, everything that was in his heart. Something about that human made him a trustworthy in Iceman's eyes.

Was he wrong?...

After an hour of fighting with Hank, the Doc finally let the young woman leave the med lab earlier. Another twenty minutes later, having dressed, the brunette made her way out to the upper levels where John was waiting for her.

"Oh…" She exclaimed when bumping into someone. "So sorry…"

"No worries…" A whisper from the mouth of a blue mutant with mysterious eyes was heard. "You ok?"

"Yes." The girl nodded. "Sorry again…"

When she turned to head for the elevator, another whisper followed the first one:

"Diablo…"

"Excuse me?" Summer turned abruptly, her eyes flicking lightly.

"Diablo." The Seer repeated.

"Care to explain what you mean?" The young woman asked, puzzled and somewhat frightened.

"I wish I knew…" With that the slick mutant turned and with his abnormal way headed to the other direction, making the space between then bigger with every second.


	7. War Drift

Formed Addiction

Chapter 7 – War Drift

"Hey, how do you feel?" Logan asked, trying to make his naturally harsh voice express concern he was feeling inside.

"Fine, just a little sun heat." Summer smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem." Wolverine positioned himself on the edge of a big comfy couch in the middle of the TV-room.

"No, I mean for everything." She went on. "And I'm sorry. I understand that you're worried about me, that's why you react like that to John being here, but, trust me, he will never hurt me. Or the X-men." Then she added, barely noticeable smirk on her face. "Maybe, except for you."

The man chuckled reluctantly, feeling the tension between them finally melt as she posed her small self near him on the rich brown leather:

"I'm sorry too, kid. Your father always wanted you to be safe, to keep you out of all those mutants vs. humans and mutants vs. mutants wars. And you end up with Magneto's ex-right-hand man. Pretty ironic."

"Yeah…"

"Sum." They both turned their heads slightly to see Hank in the doorway. "A word?"

The feral-man, sensing that he wasn't welcome there anymore, stood up:

"I have to go check on something. See you, kid. Fur-ball."

After a nod to the retreating man, Beast took a place in front of Summer on the table:

"You wanna tell me why I lied in there to a man who, I assume, is a father of your child and to other people here who care for you."

"Because…" The young woman sighed, putting her elbows on each of her knees. "Don't you see what's coming?"

At first the older mutant looked at her with a questioning look, but then understanding and acceptance crossed his eyes.

"It's another war. With another enemy but it's still a war…I don't wish for anyone to find out about it like this. With all this fear just flying in the air…know what I mean?"

Earning a nod from Hank, she went on:

"Can I trust you not to tell anyone?"

"I'm your Godfather, sure you can trust me." He too produced a deep exhausted sigh. "But, maybe, you should at least tell John…"

"Tell me what?" The hallway was empty just a second ago and now the man in question was standing in the middle of it. There was silence. "Tell me what?"

"Nothing important." Summer smiled, rose from her seat and went to stand next to the newly entered man. "So, shell we go?"

"I thought Storm had some kind of a meeting you had to attend…" John took her hand, his eyes still on Beast.

"It is true." He lowered his head 'yes'.

"I want you to be there too." Summer mentioned for the two men to follow her upstairs but she was talking to Pyro.

"I don't think it's such a great idea, Sum." He responded, drawing back a little. "It's clear no one's thrilled to see me."

"I am. That should be enough for you. And I ask you to come with me." She looked him in the eye.

John held her gaze for a second, then made a movement for her to continue their way, which she did.

"It's him or me." That was a statement. No quarrelling, no arguing or questioning.

"Bobby, please…" Ororo looked at him with strict but at the same time pleading eyes.

Iceman was just about to say something but Wolverine stormed into the office with eyes wide open, rage reflecting in them, fogging any other emotion he could've have that moment:

"Five mutants have been in a state of clinical death."

Everyone – Storm behind the table, Anna, Summer and John on the couch, Bobby and Warren near the window – exchanged an apprehensive look. But then Logan verbalized something else:

"Serine on of them."

"No way…" Anna whispered in shock, gripping a couch's arm.

"What do you mean Serin one of them?" Storm jumped from her seat. "She's a student _here_! How could she possibly get infected with that virus?"

"I saw her leaving in the morning." Warren cut in. "She said she had to buy a present for some girl's birthday."

"You let her go alone?" Ororo asked, frustrated.

"Stop it." Summer locked eyes with her white-haired friend. "It's not his fault."

She sighed nervously:

"You're right." Then added, turning to Angel. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't imagine that this poison the opposition has created…spreads that…fast…"

A stressed silence hang in the air. John quizzed Summer's hand, an act of a comfort suggestion.

"We…"

But Wolverine didn't get to finish whatever it was he started for the door opened once again to reveal Kitty.

"Did I miss something?" She inquired, looking from one member of a team to the other.

"Serin's dead." Bobby explained, wondering why Pyro's presence didn't stun or at least put the young woman off guard. But when there still was no reaction, he went on, putting the thoughts deep in back of his head. "It's the virus the mutant opposition created."

"Oh…" She nodded slightly to let everyone know that she was processing the situation in her head.

"How much time?" A couple heads turned to look at John while others were thinking on the answer to his question.

"She left at around eleven." Warren started.

"So it must be…from one to three hours." Calculating in her head, Ororo concluded.

"What are we gonna do?" Anna asked with her soft voice after another minute of silence, it was like everyone suddenly was unable to speak.

"We have to destroy the virus." This time Logan was the one to answer, his back to the wall for support.

"But how do we know if it's no a gas, for example?" Summer asked from her place near John. "If destroying a place where they hold it we wouldn't set an explosion that will climax in infecting even more mutants?"

"Because it's not a gas." The eight of them turned to see Beast in the doorway. "I've got a call from a fried that works in the General Hospital where the infected mutants were delivered. He says it's liquid substance, even a bit jelly-like."

"Ok, so it's mines one problem." Ororo said, waggling a pen in her hands. "But where do they hide their lab?"

"Well, definitely not in the building I found the papers in." Kitty interjected, positioning herself next to Anna, on the arm of the couch.

"They wouldn't be so stupid." Logan roared.

"I think I know where." John stood up and took out a yellow file from the back pocket of his jeans, then threw it on the table in front of Storm, earning a questioning look from Summer.

Others gazed at the opened envelope with interest while Ororo fished out the papers and ran through them with her eyes.

"Where did you get those?" She asked finally, still not looking up, apparently having found something useful there.

Summer gave her boyfriend another puzzled look before he started explaining himself:

"I picked them up on the reception in our hotel. It appeared that someone sent them to our hotel-room."

Logan knew better then that. John seemed very convincing, his trade-mark smirk on his face, but the feral-man knew better. There was more to the story then Pyro was telling but for the sake of a fragile peace he and Summer made just half an hour before Logan wasn't about to declare anything. At least not yet…

"I think I found it…" Storm finally said, looking up.


	8. Breathing a Lie

Formed Addiction

Chapter 8 – Breathing a Lie

"It's strange how this papers got here in the very right moment…" Summer took off her light coat as she and John entered the hotel room.

"Yeah." The young man went to stand near the window, clicking his lighter.

"Ok…" Then she suddenly turned from her position at the bathroom door and in matter of second crossed the gap between them. "Tell me you have nothing to do with it."

John looked her in the eye, his grayish brown pools boring into her sky blue ones. He was about to lie, he wanted to so much because her eyes begged for him to. And he did.

"I have nothing to do with it."

She smiled, sensing the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders. But they say that there has to be a balance. When one is born, the other has to die. When one is married, the other has to divorce. And when one feels the weight lifted off the shoulders, the other suffers it's weight on their own.

"You have to get some rest."

Summer nodded and made her way to their bed. She sat heavily on the snow-white sheets, than lifted legs from the floor and she was fast asleep the next moment when her head hit the pillow. She knew John would wake her up at night when it was time for the battle.

John slowly came up to the bed and slide down to sit near it, looking at her beautiful face turned towards him. She was so amazing… Not only stunningly beautiful but smart, kind, loving. A real sweet person that she was. Everything he wasn't…

He stood up a bit and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. The ritual of theirs he was glad they had…

"_I hate it when you do it! I know you need space and all but can you, please, tell me next time you'd be gone for two days or so?" Summer yelled at the top of her lungs._

"_Sure, dear." John waved her off. _

"_Don't…" She warned him dangerously._

_The tension was high. Suddenly a flame from a small candle flew up to the ceiling and set the nearest curtain on fire. Summer glanced at the direction of the burning part of the room, eyes piercing blue, and the flame stopped creeping along the walls. Pyro waved a hand and the fire died at all. _

"_Nice, really nice." Summer chuckled with a sarcastic look on her face._

_She turned to live but John grabbed her by the arm and neared her form to his taller and stronger body. _

"_I'm sorry." He said, placing a kiss on the top of her head. _

"_Why do you always hope that sorry would be enough for everything…" But she did hug him in return._

_He smiled a true smile. Even though John wasn't that angry, mad at the world then he used to for he now had the amount of happiness he couldn't even hope for but a genuine smile was rarely seen on his face. _

"_Promise me one thing…" Summer looked up from his chest to his face. _

"_Anything."_

"_I want you to kiss me on a cheek every night when we go to sleep. And it shouldn't matter if we're in a fight or anything…"_

"_Sure." The corners of his mouth raised, expressing amusement with her words. "Why would you ask something like that?" _

"_Because that's how I know you'll still love me tomorrow." _

John knew that it wasn't an evening yet but a burning sensation in his heart, as if his own so much loved and adored fire was blazing him, was telling him that everything would be different the next day, and he wasn't sure if it was for better or worse…

"I don't have the money, Derek." Ororo said, sitting down in a big armchair in the guestroom her husband was recently residing.

"That's not so comforting." He replied, smirk firmly across his handsome features.

"I know…" Storm lowered her head in defeat.

Derek turned from the wardrobe he was searching something in and was about to articulate another mocking remark when he saw her tired, worn out face with exhausted eyes.

"What's wrong with you, Ro?" He came up and sat on a chair in front of the woman he was in love with a long time ago.

"Nothing." She lied.

He nodded, understanding that it wasn't true, but didn't push the subject any further.

"Why did you marry me?" Storm asked suddenly, sliding her shoos off and putting her legs under her form.

Derek looked at the African-American bewildered but then, finally finding his speaking abilities, responded:

"I fell in love."

This time it was Ororo who looked and felt puzzled:

"Wh…? I thought you just had to marry to be able to get the money…the once that were in you father's will…"

"You're right. I had to marry in order to get them. But didn't you ever give a thought to why I stopped talking to my mother?"

The weather witch shook her head 'no'.

"She wanted my wife to be one of her friend's daughters but that time I was already close to be head over heels…"

Ororo smiled at the revelation:

"Really?"

"Yeah." The man with the emerald eyes put a hand on her knee to reassure His wife of the answer.

"We're going on a battle tonight." She finally said after a long moment.

Derek raised an eyebrow as if to ask with whom but the last second decided against it.

"You're gonner be ok?" That was what he asked.

"I don't know…" And she put her own hand atop his larger one. "I don't know…"

"Ah…" Rogue was going down the stairs when she felt half her body grow weak.

"You ok?" She heard Warren's voice but it sounded from far far away.

"I…" Marie started but then her throat went numb as well and she couldn't pronounce anything.

"Rogue?" This time Angel sounded much more worried. "Rogue?"

The eyes of a young woman rolled up and she would have fallen down the stairs (and broken one or two bones) if not for Warren's strong arms that took a firm grip of her waist.

"Ahhhh!" A young girl, the one who saw Summer being brought in only hours before, screamed from the other end of the hall.

"Call Hank!" Angel yelled, picking the convulsing woman up in his arms.

As the girl ran out to get Beast, Warren took it down to the lab. All through the way he couldn't help but wonder when all the troubles will stop following them. By them he didn't mean all the mutants but himself and his friends in particular.


End file.
